What’s to eat? Women, children and the urban food environment: The case of Addis Ababa (Eat- Addis-project)

Project Summary (Objective & activities) 

The aims of this study are:

1. To map and analyze the role of the urban food environment being defined as the food outlets mediating the availability and affordability of foods taking seasonality into account
2. To evaluate social, economic, and gender stratification of household food security, and the affordability and desirability of safe and nutritious foods for household members
3. To assess the role women’s empowerment and its implication for sustainable food and nutrition security of children and family

The project thus far has completed two rounds of qualitative studies focusing on mother’s experience of child care and feeding in Addis Ababa. Followed two large household surveys; using a multi-stage random sampling representative of Addis Ababa during the season of scarcity (July- August): 2781 mother-child pair and season of plenty (January- February): 2686 mother-child pair.

A mini food safety assessment was also carried out as part of this study where by samples of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as some ready to eat foods were samples from different outlets to test for the safety of food served at different vendors within Addis Ababa.